Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --- The city is moving to license bouncers in bars and nightclubs --- a first in Rhode Island.

Licensing is one of a series of measures being considered by the city and the state to strengthen officials' hand in dealing with longstanding troubles associated with nightlife downtown and in the Jewelry District. Those problems include drunkenness, violence, petty crimes and traffic jams at bar-closing time.

Officials are concerned about bouncers aggravating rather than relieving tensions in nightspots and being too quick to use force.

Among the other measures under consideration is a general toughening of the penalties for drinking in public. Currently, drinking in public is punishable by a fine of $1 to $500 and imprisonment for 1 day to 30 days. The city proposes to modify the penalties to provide for fines of $150 to $500 and imprisonment for 3 to 30 days. Community service of 10 to 30 days would be permissible as an alternative to a fine and imprisonment or as an addition to a fine or imprisonment.

City Councilmen John J. Lombardi and Michael Solomon are sponsoring the ordinance amendments for bouncer licensing and penalties for public drinking.

 Tags  Providence RI

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